The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-11-23
A CHINESE WIFE.
A VISIT TO HER BOUDOIR IN
THE METROPOLIS.
How a Chinese Merchants sgor e
Lives-Her Looks and Dress
The Rooms and Furni-
ture-A Lonely Life.

Lee Chick San Chong. merchant at
81 Mott street, captured by my smiles,
consented to introduce me to his vile
and her boudoir, which supposed
would be as interesting as the woman.
writes New York correspondent of the
Detroit Tribune. His store was in the
basement and his wife lived on the first
floor. I followed ny guide through
dirty, uncarpeted hall to the door at the
farthest end. He raped rather vigor-
ously with his knuckles on the portal,
which had no outside knob or latch.
After while it was unlocked on the i'll
side, he pushed it open and we stood on
the inside. Almost in the rear of the
room with some sewing in her hand,
stood the woman I had come to see.
She smiled at her husband and looked
at me without fear or surprise, but as n
babe looks at new object held before its
innocent eyes. Lee Chick San Chong
spoke to her in his peculiar language,
and then turning to me said: "My
wife" Another moment and the little
brown fingers covered with rings were
clasped in my glovcd hand, and we were
looking at each other as only two women
can. What she said is left to the i'm
agination, but this is what I gazed upon
with interest.
A little woman not more than five feet
high, with the blackest Of eyes, which
were larger and more open than those OF
the average Chinaman. She had the
[ typical Mongolian face with complex
ion that from the exclusion of sunlight
rcsemb!cd bleached 60 den wax. Her
blue black hair was combed lack without
a part dressed over the cars like half
oyster shell and down the back OF the
head in long oblong puff. Gold rings
kept it all in place, but it had the appear
ance of being soaped to make it smooth
and stiff. The forehead was extremely
high and the eyebrows had habitually
surprised curve. The cheeks were round,
dotted with charming dimples, the nose
little inclined to fatness but withal
piquante, the teeth exquisitcly white and
beautifully shaped and the lips either
artifcially dyed or naturally rich car
mine. With the air and look of childish
innocence Mrs. San Chong was not bad
to look at.
But her dress. It is hard to, describe
| it so as tc give an idea of its delicate
beauty. 1t was light blue silken robe
trimmed with bands of crimson silk.
The upper robe was made with flowing
sleeves, WHICH disclosed similar white
silk robe Underneath. The skirt or pet
ticoat of plain crimson was made per-
fectly straight and touched the floor.
Her tiny leet not more than five inches in
length were covered with white silk
hosiery and inserted in dainty Chinese
slippers of blue silk, embroidered in gold,
with white satin-covered soles. Her arms
were loaded with bracelets of several
kinds, and her ears held rings Of cnor-
mons size. Her silver thimble, with
which she had been sewing, still clasped
the little brown finger. 1t was silver
band worn on the second joint of the
middle finger. Mrs. San Chong moved
around with quiet grace and ease that
would be the envy of a Fifth avenue
belle.
The rooms, if not beautiful, possessed
in an eminent degree that virtue which
is next to godliness. In front of a small
private altar Joss sticks and sandal-wood
censers threw little smoke clouds of per-
fume into the air. Grotesque pictures,
statuary and bric-a- brac ornamented the
walls. Here and there banners and
scrolls of gorgeous hue and covered with
quotations from the great masters OF
China reached from ceiling to floor.
White curtains half concealed doors and
windows. The furniture was like some
of the inhabitants of North street, curl
Gus conglomeration of America and Can
ton. Canton or Fuan Tung, by the way,
is the New York of Southern China.
The bed is merely a small board bank.
Its dressing was rolled up and put into
bright colorcd slips. These covered with
rugs allow the hunks to be used as
o sofa during the day. Several en-
broidery frames with art-work in
various stages occupied table
, in the corner. Our conversation
was limited, but Lee Chick was
a good English scholar and did the
translating. He is teaching Mrs. San
Chong English, but she forgets: She
reads poetry, history and love stories, and
spends all her day alone, her husband
leaving in the morning and not return.
ing until evening. She never visits, and
can not he induced to quit her quarters
All her food is cooked by servant IN
the store, and her husband carries all the
meals to her room.
We drank q social cup of tea from
china cups about twice the size OF a
thimble, and after wishing one another q
"Kung he ia tio," the equivalent OF
wish you great prosperity, the interview
was over. 1t would seem that the women
never wear the breeches in the Celestlai
Empire, but when asked Lee Chick, nc
sighed and said that there were just as
many henpecked husbands in the orient
"allee same Amclika."